Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα.

I am not saying anything now.

Breakdown of Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα.

• τώρα: now
• δεν: not
• τίποτα: anything
• λέω: to tell

Questions & Answers about Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα.

What does each word in Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα literally mean?

• Δεν – the normal negation particle for verbs, like not / do not.
• λέω – I say / I am saying (1st person singular present of the verb λέω).
• τίποτα – nothing / anything (depending on context; here: anything as part of the negation).
• τώρα – now.

So the literal order is: Not I-say anything now → I’m not saying anything now.

Why do we have both Δεν and τίποτα? Isn’t that a double negative?

In Greek this is normal and correct; it’s called negative concord.
You usually need:

• Δεν (or δε) before the verb and
• a negative/indefinite word like τίποτα, κανείς, ποτέ after it

to express meanings like not … anything / nothing, not … anyone / no one, not … ever / never.

So Δεν λέω τίποτα literally looks like I don’t say nothing, but in Greek that structure is standard and means I don’t say anything / I’m saying nothing.

Can τίποτα also mean anything, not nothing?

Yes. τίποτα is an indefinite pronoun that changes meaning with context:

• With a negation (like δεν) it means nothing / anything in a negative sense:
  Δεν λέω τίποτα. → I’m not saying anything / I’m saying nothing.
• In questions or offers, without a separate negative word, it usually means anything / something:
  Θέλεις τίποτα; → Do you want anything? / Do you want something?

So the presence of δεν (or another negator) makes τίποτα part of the negative idea.

What’s the difference between τίποτα and κάτι?

• τίποτα: nothing / anything (negative or open-ended).
  
  • Δεν λέω τίποτα. → I’m not saying anything.
• κάτι: something (positive or specific, or at least “some thing”).
  
  • Λέω κάτι. → I’m saying something.

With δεν, κάτι sounds more like a particular/definite thing you’re denying:

• Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα. → I’m not saying anything now (at all).
• Δεν λέω κάτι τώρα. → more like I’m not saying (some particular) thing now; it can sound less absolute and more about a specific thing that is not being said.

Can I move τώρα to another position? Are these all correct?

Yes, Greek word order is fairly flexible, and all of these are acceptable:

• Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα. – Neutral, very common.
• Τώρα δεν λέω τίποτα. – Emphasis on now (as opposed to another time).
• Δεν λέω τώρα τίποτα. – Slight emphasis on now as well; still natural.

The basic rule is: Δεν should stay directly before the verb (λέω), but τίποτα and τώρα can move around after that, with small changes in emphasis.

Is λέω here present simple or present continuous? How would I say I’m not saying anything now vs I don’t say anything now?

Modern Greek present tense covers both English present simple and present continuous.
So Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα can mean:

• I’m not saying anything now (most natural with τώρα)
• I don’t say anything now (if the context implies a more general or repeated situation)

You use the same Greek form (λέω) for both; context and time words like τώρα, συχνά, πάντα tell you which English aspect fits best.

Why is the verb λέω used here instead of μιλάω?

Greek distinguishes:

• λέω – to say / to tell (content of speech, specific words):
  Δεν λέω τίποτα. → I’m not saying anything.
• μιλάω – to speak / to talk (act of speaking, language ability or conversation):
  Δεν μιλάω τώρα. → I’m not talking now / I’m not speaking now.

So Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα focuses on not producing any specific statement, not just being silent in general (although in practice, it can imply staying silent).

When do I use δεν and when μη / μην? Could I say Μη λέω τίποτα τώρα?

Use:

• δεν to negate ordinary statements and questions with a finite verb:
  Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα.
• μη / μην mainly in:
  • negative commands / prohibitions:
    Μην λες τίποτα τώρα. → Don’t say anything now.
  • certain subordinate clauses after verbs of fear, wish, etc.

Μη λέω τίποτα τώρα is not a normal sentence; to give a command you’d say Μην λέω only in very unusual, reflexive-feeling contexts. For a normal negative command, use Μην λες τίποτα τώρα.

Does τίποτα change form for gender, number, or case in this sentence?

In everyday Modern Greek, τίποτα (and the variant τίποτε) is essentially invariable in the uses you’ll meet first:

• It stays τίποτα whether it is object (Δεν λέω τίποτα) or, in some contexts, subject.
• It doesn’t change for masculine/feminine/neuter or singular/plural in normal speech.

For your purposes as a learner at this level, you can treat τίποτα as a fixed form meaning nothing / anything depending on context.

How do I pronounce Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα? Is the ν in Δεν always pronounced?

A careful pronunciation is:

• Δεν λέω τίποτα τώρα → [ðen lé.o típota tóra]

Details:

• δ = voiced th as in this.
• In natural speech, Greeks often drop the final ν of δεν before a consonant, so you’ll hear:
  
  • [ðe lé.o típota tóra] (sounds like δε λέω…).
• λέω is two syllables: λέ-ω.
• Stress is on the first syllable of λέω, τίποτα, and τώρα:
  ΛΈ-ω, ΤΊ-πο-τα, ΤΌ-ρα.

Both pronunciations ([ðen…] and [ðe…] before λ) are common and understood.